Pulmonary delivery of aminoglycoside

ABSTRACT

A dispersible powder composition comprises aminoglycoside for delivery to the lungs. The composition is effective to provide a therapeutically effective therapy via administration of less than 6 respirable unit doses by inhalation, wherein each unit dose comprises a volume of 0.30 to 0.95 mL.

CROSS-REFERENCE

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/327,510 to Tarara et al. entitled “Pulmonary Delivery ofAminoglycosides” which was on filed Dec. 19, 2002, and which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to compositions andmethods of administering an active agent, such as aminoglycoside, byinhalation.

Aminoglycosides are potent bactericidal agents. Their main mechanism ofaction is on the bacterial ribosome, which in turn inhibits proteinsynthesis. They are active against a wide range of gram-positive andgram-negative species as well as mycobacteria. For some seriousgram-negative infections, aminoglycosides or aminoglycosides incombination with other antimicrobials may be the drug of choice forPseudonomas and other infections.

Lower respiratory tract infections with pseudomonas aeruginosa (Psa) area major cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with cysticfibrosis (CF) and non-CF bronchiectasis. Once an infection isestablished, even aggressive antibiotic treatments may only temporarilyreduce the number of Psa organisms in the respiratory tract. As aresult, many CF patients have persistent Psa infections requiringfrequent hospital admissions for intravenous chemotherapy.

Bronchiectasis is a condition characterized by progressive destructionand dilatation of airway walls due to infected retained secretions thatresult from a failure of airway defenses to maintain the sterileenvironment of the lower respiratory tract airways and lung parenchyma.The large volumes of infected secretions requiring aggressive antibiotictreatment at the onset of the infection and the presence of markedbacterial resistance to common and often used antibiotics representsignificant barriers to effective therapy. The most effective treatmentof bronchiectasis remains antibiotic therapy, usually administeredsystemically orally or by intravenous injection.

Aminoglycosides are considered one of the most useful classes ofantibiotics for treating Psa infections. However, antibiotic therapy ofa variety of respiratory infections, in particular bronchiectasis,continues to represent a major medical challenge.

One of the major disadvantages of aminoglycosides is that they caninduce fairly severe side effects. Aminoglycosides are generally poorlyabsorbed orally and, for this reason, are given intravenously orintramuscularly. Aminoglycosides active against Psa penetrate intosputum poorly, making it necessary to administer large systemic dosesintravenously in order to optimize sputum penetration at the site ofinfection in the lung. Such high doses can produce both nephrotic andototoxic effects, often causing permanent renal insufficiency andauditory nerve damage, with deafness, dizziness, and unsteadiness.

At the same time, underdosing and incomplete courses of antibiotics arepart of the problem of ineffective therapy. Potential consequences ofunderdosing respiratory tract infections include inadequate pathogeneradication, development of antibiotic resistance and lengthenederadication times, as well as potential for persistent clinical symptomsdue to increasing lung injury, bronchiectasis, scarring, and prematuredeath.

The overuse of antibiotics in the treatment of respiratory infections isa major problem and is increasingly regarded as such by both the medicalcommunity and the pharmaceutical industry. The Center for DiseaseControl (CDC) considers the growing problem of antibiotic resistance tobe one of the most important public health challenges of our time. TheCDC views overprescription of antibiotics as one of the prime culpritsfor the growing antibiotic resistance problem.

In view of the above problems in antibiotic therapies, research hasprimarily focused on the discovery of new molecules to provide possiblesolutions. Alternatively, the potential effectiveness of treatinginfections of the respiratory tract with aminoglycosides administered bynew drug delivery technologies such as inhalation aerosols has beeninvestigated. In particular, aerosolized antibiotics have beenadministered by small volume nebulizers (SVN) driven ultrasonically orby air compressors.

For two decades, inhaled antibiotics have been used effectively forameliorating chronic pulmonary infections in conditions such as cysticfibrosis and non-CF bronchiectasis. To date, the U.S. Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) has approved only one aerosolized antiinfective:TOBI® (Chiron Corporation, Seattle, Wash.). TOBI is a tobramycinsolution for inhalation by nebulization. Tobramycin(O-3-amino-3-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-4)-O-[2,6-diamino-2,3,6-trideoxy-α-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl-(1-6)]-2-deoxy-L-streptamine)is a water soluble, aminoglycoside antibiotic having a molceular weightof 467.52 g/mol. Tobramycin is effective against gram negativepathogens, in particular Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the key infective agentin CF patients.

The formulated TOBI product is an aqueous solution, which is sterile,clear, slightly yellow, non-pyrogenic, and is pH and salinity adjusted.It comprises 300 mg of tobramycin free base in 5 ml of sodium chloride(2.25 mg/ml) at pH 6.0 and is stable at 2-8 C. for two years, or 28 daysat room temp. The solution darkens in intense light. At pH 6.0,approximately 2.2 of the 5 tobramycin amino groups have been convertedto sulfate salts. A dose is a single 300 mg ampoule bid (12 hoursapart).

Patients receive a 28 day “on” therapy followed by a 28 day “off”period, to reduce the potential for development of resistant bacterialstrains. Of the 300 mg inhaled, only approximately 10% or 30 mg isdelivered to the lung. Systemic tobramycin given by IV injection hasserious adverse effects including renal and ototoxicity. High IV dosesare typically given due to poor penetration of the drug across the lungendothelium and into sputum. Clinical studies with TOBI have shown thatinhaled tobramycin may lead to tinitus and voice alteration.

Nebulization has many well documented disadvantages, including extendedadministration time, high cost, poor efficiency and reproducibility,risk of bacterial contamination, and the need for bulky compressors orgas cylinders. These disadvantages likely have an impact on patientcompliance.

Pulmonary delivery by aerosol inhalation has received much attention asan attractive alternative to intravenous, intramuscular, andsubcutaneous injection, since this approach eliminates the necessity forinjection syringes and needles. Pulmonary delivery also limitsirritation to the skin and body mucosa which are common side effects oftransdermally, iontophoretically, and intranasally delivered drugs,eliminates the need for nasal and skin penetration enhancers (typicalcomponents of intranasal and transdermal systems that often cause skinirritation/dermatitis), is economically attractive, is amenable topatient self-administration, and is often preferred by patients overother alternative modes of administration. Administration ofaminoglycoside dry powder aerosols to the lung has been attempted, butinefficient delivery devices and/or poorly dispersible lactoseformulations limited these studies.

Dry powder inhalers are known in the art as disclosed, for example, inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,458,135; 5,740,794; 5,775,320; and 5,785,049, and incopending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/004,558 filed Jan. 8, 1998, Ser.No. 09/312,434 filed Jun. 4, 1999, 60/136,518 filed May 28, 1999, and60/141,793 filed Jun. 30, 1999, all of which are hereby incorporated intheir entirety by reference.

In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,776 discloses a dry powder inhaler anddiscloses antibiotics such as gentamicin sulfate, amikacin sulfate, andtobramycin sulfate, among an extensive list of agents suitable foradministration by the devices disclosed therein. No examples offormulations are disclosed. WO 00/35461 further discloses a method fortreating bronchiectasis comprising the administration of anaminoglycoside aerosol.

A hollow porous tobramycin dry powder formulation was engineered anddelivered from the Turbospin (PH&T, Italy) dry powder inhaler in arecent clinical study. Of the 25 mg of powder loaded into the capsule inthe clinical study, only 4.6 mg (18.4%) of active drug substance wasdelivered to the lung. At this drug loading and efficiency,approximately 6 capsules (ca. 27.6 mg) are required to deliver a lungdose equivalent to the nebulized TOBI product. The requirement foradministering at least 6 capsules raises issues with respect to patientcompliance for such a therapy.

Despite the advances in discovering newer, broad spectrum antibioticsand drug delivery technologies, there remains a need for improvedmethods for administering antibiotics such as aminoglycosides. Inparticular, the maximum safe systemic dosages of aminoglycosidesadministered according to current therapies provide much less than thedose sufficient to achieve amounts of drug in lung tissue and secretionsto exceed the minimum inhibitory capacity (i.e. concentrations capableof eliminating or significantly decreasing the bacterial burden causingthe infection in the airways and lung tissues). Thus, therapy is likelyto be inadequate while encouraging the emergence of resistant organismsand the development of adverse side effects. There remains a need for apatient-friendly means of administering aminoglycosides to patientswhich will provide higher localized concentrations of drug in the airwaysecretions and adjacent lung tissue without the risk of significantsystemic side effects. Ideally, such administration must be from adevice which is practical such that patient compliance is encouraged.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

As used herein, the term “aminoglycoside” refers to both synthetic andnatural antibiotics isolated from species of Streptomyces andMicromonospora as known in the art and includes, but is not limited to,gentamicin, netilmicin, tobramycin, kanamycin, neomycin, paramecin,amikacin, azithromycin and streptomycin, including pharmaceuticallyacceptable salts and esters thereof.

As used herein, the term “dry powder” refers to a composition thatcontains finely dispersed solid particles that are capable of (i) beingreadily dispersed in or by means of an inhalation device and (ii)inhaled by a subject so that a portion of the particles reach the lungs.Such a powder is considered to be “respirable” or suitable for pulmonarydelivery. A dry powder typically contains less than about 15% moisture,preferably less than 11 % moisture, and more preferably contains lessthan about 8% moisture.

As used herein, the term “emitted dose” or “ED” refers to an indicationof the delivery of dry powder from a suitable inhaler device after afiring or dispersion event from a powder unit, capsule, or reservoir. EDis defined as the ratio of the dose delivered by an inhaler device tothe nominal dose (i.e., the mass of powder per unit dose placed into asuitable inhaler device prior to firing). The ED is anexperimentally-determined amount, and is typically determined using anin-vitro device set up which mimics patient dosing. To determine an EDvalue, a nominal dose of dry powder (as defined above) is placed into asuitable dry powder inhaler, which is then actuated, dispersing thepowder. The resulting aerosol cloud is then drawn by vacuum from thedevice, where it is captured on a tared filter attached to the devicemouthpiece. The amount of powder that reaches the filter constitutes thedelivered dose. For example, for a 5 mg, dry powder-containing blisterpack placed into an inhalation device, if dispersion of the powderresults in the recovery of 4 mg of powder on a tared filter as describedabove, then the ED for the dry powder composition is: 4 mg (delivereddose)/5 mg (nominal dose)×100=80%.

As used herein, the term “geometric diameter” is a measure of geometricparticle size and are determined using a Sympatec laser diffractionanalyzer.

As used herein, the term “mass median aerodynamic diameter” or “MMAD” isa measure of the aerodynamic size of a dispersed particle. Theaerodynamic diameter is used to describe an aerosolized powder in termsof its settling behavior, and is the diameter of a unit density spherehaving the same settling velocity, generally in air, as the particle.The aerodynamic diameter encompasses particle shape, density andphysical size of a particle. As used herein, MMAD refers to the midpointor median of the aerodynamic particle size distribution of anaerosolized powder determined by Anderson cascade impaction.

As used herein, the term “pharmaceutically acceptable excipient orcarrier” refers to an excipient that can be taken into the lungs inassociation with an aminoglycoside with no significant adversetoxicological effects to the subject, and particularly to the lungs ofthe subject.

As used herein, the term “pharmacologically effective amount” or“physiologically effective amount” is the amount of aminoglycosidepresent in a dry powder composition as described herein that is neededto provide a desired level of drug in the secretions and tissues of theairways and lungs, or alternatively, in the bloodstream of a subject tobe treated to give an anticipated physiological response when suchcomposition is administered pulmonarily. The precise amount will dependupon numerous factors, e.g., the particular aminoglycoside, the specificactivity of the composition, the delivery device employed, physicalcharacteristics of the powder, its intended use, and resistance of theorganisms as well as patient considerations such as severity of thedisease state, patient cooperation, etc., and can readily be determinedby one skilled in the art, based upon the information provided herein.

As used herein, the term “respiratory infections” includes, but is notlimited to upper respiratory tract infections such as sinusitis,pharyngitis, and influenza, and lower respiratory tract infections suchas tuberculosis, bronchiectasis (both the cystic fibrosis and non-cysticfibrosis indications), bronchitis (both acute bronchitis and acuteexacerbation of chronic bronchitis), and pneumonia (including varioustypes of complications that arise from viral and bacterial infectionsincluding hospital-acquired and community-acquired infections).

As used herein, the term “side effects associated with aminoglycosidetherapy” refers to undesirable effects suffered by a patient including,but not limited to, ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity and is furtherintended to include development of resistance to aminoglycoside therapy.

As used herein, the term “therapeutically effective amount” means theamount of aminoglycoside, which when delivered to the lungs andconducting airways of a subject pulmonarily via a dry powder compositionas described herein, provides the desired biological effect.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a plot of the number of capsules required as a functionof the bulk density.

FIG. 2 depicts a plot of the emitted dose for the tobramycin formulationas a function of capsule fill mass.

FIG. 3 depicts a Plot of the Anderson Cascade Impactor particle sizedistribution (split flow) for a tobramycin formulation according to thisinvention.

FIG. 4 depicts a titration curve for tobramycin free base with sulfuricacid. The right axis presents the theoretical powder potency for a 90%w/w formulation.

SUMMARY

A dispersible powder composition comprises aminoglycoside for deliveryto the lung, the composition being effective to provide atherapeutically effective therapy via administration of less than 6respirable unit doses by inhalation, wherein each unit dose comprises avolume of 0.30 to 0.95 mL.

A method comprises administering by inhalation less than 6 respirableunit doses of the composition to provide at least 27.6 mg ofaminoglycoside to the lungs.

A method for treating cystic fibrosis comprising administering apharmacologically effective amount of aminoglycoside comprisingtobramycin to the lungs from a respirable unit dose.

A method for administering aminoglycoside to the lungs to reduce thepotential for development of bacteria in the lungs, comprisesadministering by inhalation a pharmacologically effective amount ofaminoglycoside from a respirable unit dose, in an aerosolized inhalableform.

A composition for the delivery of a pharmacologically effective amountof aminoglycoside to the lungs by aerosol inhalation, the compositionincluding particles comprising phospholipid, aminoglycoside or saltthereof, a geometric diameter of less than 10 microns, a mass medianaerodynamic diameter of less than about 5 microns, and a bulk density ofgreater than 0.08 g/cm³, and wherein the composition comprises a volumeof 5.7 mL or less containing 10-60 mg of aminoglycoside or salt thereof.

A capsule comprises a composition for delivery of aminoglycoside to thelungs by inhalation, the composition including particles comprisingphospholipid containing aminoglycoside comprising tobramycin, ageometric diameter less than 10 microns, a mass median aerodynamicdiameter less than about 5 microns, and a bulk density of greater than0.08 g/cm³, wherein the capsule comprises a volume that is equivalentto, or less than, a capsule volume corresponding to a size #2 capsule,and wherein the capsule contains aminoglycoside or salt thereof, in anamount of 10-60 mg.

A respirable unit dose comprises a composition for delivery ofaminoglycoside to the lungs by inhalation, the composition includingparticles comprising phospholipid, calcium, aminoglycoside or saltthereof, a geometric diameter of less than 10 microns, a mass medianaerodynamic diameter of less than about 5 microns, and a bulk density ofgreater than 0.08 g/cm³, wherein the respirable unit dose comprises avolume of 0.68 ml or less, and wherein the unit dose containsaminoglycoside or salt thereof in an amount of 10-60 mg.

A composition comprising particles for delivery of a pharmacologicallyeffective amount of aminoglycoside to the lungs by inhalation from aninhaler device, the particles comprising a matrix of phospholipid,aminoglycoside or a salt thereof in a potency of 60% or higher, a bulkdensity of greater than 0.08 g/cm³, and having a pH of 7 or higher.

A pulmonary delivery method comprising administering a pharmacologicallyeffective amount of tobramycin to the lungs by providing a compositioncomprising particles dispersed from less than 6 capsules by aninhalation device, the particles comprising a matrix of phospholipid,tobramycin or a salt thereof in a potency of greater than about 60%, abulk density of greater than 0.08 g/cm³, and having a pH of 7 or higher.

A method for treating a pulmonary infection, the method comprisingadministering a pharmacologically effective amount of active agent tothe lungs via administration of less than 6 respirable unit doses,wherein each respirable unit dose comprises a volume of 0.30 to 0.95 mL.

A respirable unit dose comprising a composition for delivery of anactive agent to the lungs by inhalation, the composition includingparticles comprising phospholipid, active agent, a geometric diameter ofless than 10 microns, a mass median aerodynamic diameter of less thanabout 5 microns, and a bulk density of greater than 0.08 g/cm³, whereinthe respirable unit dose contains active agent in an amount of 10-60 mg.

DESCRIPTION

According to the present invention, compositions and methods for thepulmonary administration of aminoglycosides for the treatment ofrespiratory infections are provided. The pulmonary administration routeoffers a number of benefits, including the potential for achievement ofhigh antibiotic concentrations in respiratory secretions while limitingsystemic toxicity. The powders of the present invention exhibitoutstanding aerosol characteristics without the need for blending thedrug-containing powder with larger carrier particles which help enablethe formulations of the present invention meet the high dosagerequirements for aminoglycoside therapy with a reduced number ofcapsules.

Due to the relatively large dosages of aminoglycosides required fortherapeutically effective treatment, the dry powder compositions of thepresent invention are preferably delivered from a pulmonary device at arelatively high emitted dose. According to the invention, the dry powdercompositions comprise an emitted dose of at least 50%, more preferablyat least 70%, and emitted doses of greater than 80% are most preferred.Such high emitted doses reduce drug costs as more efficientadministration of the aminoglycoside is achieved, and also improvepatient compliance as fewer device actuations would be needed foreffective therapy. The compositions and methods according to thisembodiment of the invention provide a significant advance in thepulmonary drug delivery art as large doses of drug are capable ofadministration pulmonarily to provide a therapeutically effectivetreatment. Treatments are provided wherein a therapeutically effectiveamount of aminoglycoside is administered over a 24 hour administrationperiod from a less than 5 unit doses, preferably less than 4 unit doses,in order to provide therapeutically effective therapy.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, administrationmethods directed at reducing side effects associated with aminoglycosidetherapy are provided. These include administration of doses that aremuch higher than current therapies (e.g. more than 8 times MIC).According to this embodiment, problems associated with underdosing suchas development of aminoglycoside resistance as discussed above arereduced. High localized concentrations of aminoglycoside in the lungwithout adverse side effects associated with aminoglycoside therapy arepossible via pulmonary administration of the dry powder compositions ofthis invention.

According to another embodiment directed at reducing the development ofaminoglycoside resistance, two (or perhaps more) antibiotics ofdifferent classes acting via different mechanisms are administered inrotation by inhalation.

According to the preferred embodiment, the aminoglycoside dry powdercompositions are administered by inhalation via a dry powder inhaler inorder to maximize dose convenience and speed of administration.

The aminoglycoside dry powder compositions of this invention generallycomprise an aminoglycoside combined with one or more pharmaceuticalexcipients which are suitable for respiratory and pulmonaryadministration. Such excipients may serve simply as bulking agents whenit is desired to reduce the active agent concentration in the powderwhich is being delivered to a patient. Such excipients may also serve toimprove the dispersibility of the powder within a powder dispersiondevice in order to provide more efficient and reproducible delivery ofthe active agent and to improve the handling characteristics of theactive agent (e.g., flowability and consistency) to facilitatemanufacturing and powder filling. In particular, the excipient materialscan often function to improve the physical and chemical stability of theaminoglycoside, to minimize the residual moisture content and hindermoisture uptake, and to enhance particle size, degree of aggregation,surface properties (i.e., rugosity), ease of inhalation, and targetingof the resultant particles to the deep lung. Alternatively, theaminoglycoside may be formulated in an essentially neat form, whereinthe composition contains aminoglycoside particles within the requisitesize range and substantially free from other biologically activecomponents, pharmaceutical excipients, and the like.

Although administration via DPI is about ten times faster than vianebulizer, it would be highly advantageous from both an economic andcompliance standpoint to reduce the total number of capsules needed toprovide for an effective therapy via administration from a DPI from 6 to4 or less, preferably 2 or 3. The following discussion on reducing thenumber of capsules for an effective aminoglycoside therapy via DPI willfocus on a preferred embodiment directed to the administration oftobramycin.

The number of capsules (n_(capsule)) required to deliver a certain massof drug to the lung (m_(lung)) can be obtained from the deliveryefficiency relationship below: 1 n capsule=m lung m capsule·P·η lung ( 1)

where m_(capsule) is the mass of powder in the capsule, P is the potencyof the drug in the drug product (tobramycin free base), η_(lung) is theefficiency of aerosol delivery to the lung.

It is clear from this relationship that the total number of capsulesrequired can be reduced by:

(1) increasing the powder loading in the capsule;

(2) increasing the potency of drug in powder; and

(3) increasing the efficiency of aerosol delivery (emitted dose and fineparticle dose)

For example, a 35 mg fill, potency of 70%, and an aerosol efficiency of40%, one needs 2.8 capsules to deliver the 27.6 mg target lung dose. Fora 40 mg fill, a potency of 80%, and an efficiency of 50%, one needs just1.7 capsules. Preferred fill masses according to the invention arewithin 20-50 mg per capsule. Most preferably 25-40 mg/capsule.

Increasing the fill mass in the capsule can be accomplished by filling agreater percentage of the capsule volume, or by increasing the bulkdensity of the powder. Formulations according to the present inventionhave a bulk density of greater than 0.08 g/cm³. Preferred powdersaccording to this invention have a bulk density of 0.10 g/cm³ orgreater.

Theoretically, a 50 mg loading would cut the capsule requirements to 3,for a formulation with equivalent potency and aerosol performance to thetobramycin formulation used in the clinical study mentioned above. Inorder to achieve such a large fill mass in a number 2 capsule the powderdensity would need to be increased without adversely impacting aerosolcharacteristics. One of ordinary skill in the art can determine the bulkdensity at which tobramycin formulations begin to show a drop in aerosolperformance in accordance with the teachings herein.

For example, the effect of bulk density on the total number of capsulesrequired is depicted in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is an estimate of the number ofcapsules required to deliver 30 mg of the free base to the lung as afunction of bulk density and pH. The graph assumes that of the capsulevolume is filled with powder, that the residual moisture content is 5%,the residual solvent (PFOB) content is 0.1%, and that 40% of the nominaldose is deposited in the lungs.

The potency of tobramycin is determined by a number of factors includingthe drug loading in the formulation, the percentage of the primary aminegroups on the free base that have been reacted with acid to form a salt,the molecular weight of the counterion (chloride or sulfate), and theresidual water and blowing agent trapped in the formulation. Thetheoretical potency of free base in the above-mentioned clinicaltobramycin formulation was 63%. The balance of mass can be attributed tothe sulfate salt, where on average approximately three of the fiveprimary amines were sulfated. The actual potency value for thetobramycin clinical formulation was 53% due to retention of residualmoisture (5.3% w/w) and fluorocarbon (≈4.6% w/w) in the formulation.

In the TOBI nebulizer product, the pH is titrated to 6.0. Adjusting thepH to 6.0 allows the product to be stable for an extended period withoutthe addition of preservatives such as phenol. Powder formulations willnot have the same stability burden, since the time in solution is short.Hence, the sulfate content can be decreased in the final product bytitrating the free base to a higher pH than is used in the current TOBIproduct. According to FIG. 4, increases in potency may be possible from60% to roughly 80%.

The tobramycin formulation used in the clinical study was comprised of90% w/w tobramycin sulfate. On average about 3 of the 5 primary aminegroups on the free base are sulfated in tobramycin sulfate. From this amolecular weight for tobramycin sulfate can be estimated as follows:Mol Wt(tobramycin sulfate)=467.54(free base)+3.1(96)≈765 g/mol

The same calculation can be done for the chloride salt, assuming anequal number of chloride salts per molecule:Mol Wt(tobramycin chloride)=467.54+3.1(35.5)≈578 g/mol

The potential reduction in the number of capsules afforded by a switchto the chloride salt would be:(578/765)×6 capsules=4.5 capsules (i.e., a 1.5 capsule savings)

The nature of the acid utilized: sulfuric, hydrochloric, or phosphoric,will depend not only on a desire to reduce the number of capsules, butalso on the regulatory impact of changing acid, and the variations insolid state and aerosol performance noted.

Improvements of the aerosol characteristics also contribute to areduction in the number of capsules necessary for an effective therapy.

Pharmaceutical excipients and additives useful in the presentcomposition include but are not limited to proteins, peptides, aminoacids, lipids, polymers, and carbohydrates (e.g., sugars, includingmonosaccharides, di-, tri-, tetra-, and oligosaccharides; derivatizedsugars such as alditols, aldonic acids, esterified sugars and the like;and polysaccharides or sugar polymers), which may be present singly orin combination. Exemplary protein excipients include serum albumin suchas human serum albumin (HSA), recombinant human albumin (rHA), gelatin,casein, and the like. Representative amino acid/polypeptide components,which may also function in a buffering capacity, include alanine,glycine, arginine, betaine, histidine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid,cysteine, lysine, leucine, proline, isoleucine, valine, methionine,phenylalanine, aspartame, and the like. Polyamino acids of therepresentative amino acids such as di-leucine and tri-leucine are alsosuitable for use with the present invention. One preferred amino acid isleucine.

Carbohydrate excipients suitable for use in the invention include, forexample, monosaccharides such as fructose, maltose, galactose, glucose,D-mannose, sorbose, and the like; disaccharides, such as lactose,sucrose, trehalose, cellobiose, and the like; polysaccharides, such asraffinose, melezitose, maltodextrins, dextrans, starches, and the like;and alditols, such as mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, xylitolsorbitol (glucitol), myoinositol and the like.

The dry powder compositions may also include a buffer or a pH adjustingagent; typically, the buffer is a salt prepared from an organic acid orbase. Representative buffers include organic acid salts such as salts ofcitric acid, ascorbic acid, gluconic acid, carbonic acid, tartaric acid,succinic acid, acetic acid, or phthalic acid; Tris, tromethaminehydrochloride, or phosphate buffers.

Additionally, the aminoglycoside dry powders of the invention mayinclude polymeric excipients/additives such as polyvinylpyrrolidones,hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, Ficolls(a polymeric sugar), dextran, dextrates (e.g., cyclodextrins, such as2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, hydroxyethyl starch), polyethyleneglycols, pectin, flavoring agents, salts (e.g. sodium chloride),antimicrobial agents, sweeteners, antioxidants, antistatic agents,surfactants (e.g., polysorbates such as “TWEEN 20” and “TWEEN 80”,lecithin, oleic acid, benzalkonium chloride, and sorbitan esters),lipids (e.g., phospholipids, fatty acids), steroids (e.g., cholesterol),and chelating agents (e.g., EDTA). Other pharmaceutical excipientsand/or additives suitable for use in the aminoglycoside compositionsaccording to the invention are listed in “Remington: The Science &Practice of Pharmacy”, 19^(th) ed., Williams & Williams, (1995), and inthe “Physician's Desk Reference”, 52^(nd) ed., Medical Economics,Montvale, N.J. (1998), the disclosures of which are herein incorporatedby reference.

According to the present invention, a dispersing agent for improving theintrinsic dispersibility properties of the aminoglycoside powders isadded. Suitable agents are disclosed in PCT applications WO 95/31479, WO96/32096, and WO 96/32149, hereby incorporated in their entirety byreference. As described therein, suitable agents include water solublepolypeptides and hydrophobic amino acids such as tryptophan, leucine,phenylalanine, and glycine. Leucine and tri-leucine are particularlypreferred for use according to this invention.

In accordance with the invention, the solid state matrix formed by theaminoglycoside and excipient imparts a stabilizing environment to theaminoglycoside. The stabilizing matrix may be crystalline, an amorphousglass, or a mixture of both forms. Most suitable are dry powderformulations which are a mixture of both forms. For aminoglycoside drypowder formulations which are substantially amorphous, preferred arethose formulations exhibiting glass transition temperatures (T_(g))above about 35° C., preferably above about 45° C., and more preferablyabove about 55° C. Preferably, T_(g) is at least 20° C. above thestorage temperature. According to a preferred embodiment, theaminoglycoside formulations comprise a phospholipid as the solid statematrix as disclosed in WO 99/16419 and WO 01/85136, hereby incorporatedin their entirety by reference.

The aminoglycoside contained in the dry powder formulations is presentin a quantity sufficient to form a pharmacologically-effective amountwhen administered by inhalation to the lung. The dry powders of theinvention will generally contain from about 20% by weight to about 100%by weight aminoglycoside, more typically from about 50% to 99% by weightaminoglycoside, and preferably from about 80 to 95% by weightaminoglycoside. Correspondingly, the amount of excipient material(s)will range up to about 80% by weight, more typically up to about 50% byweight, and preferably from about 20 to 5% by weight.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the dry powder contains atleast 80% by weight aminoglycoside in order to provide a unit doseeffective to administer up to 100 mg, preferably from 10-60 mg/unit dosewith the appropriate dose adjusted for the particular aminoglycoside asreadily determined by one of ordinary skill.

Preparation of Aminoglycoside Dry Powders

Dry powder aminoglycoside formulations may be prepared by spray dryingunder conditions which result in a substantially amorphous glassy or asubstantially crystalline bioactive powder as described above. Spraydrying of the aminoglycoside-solution formulations is carried out, forexample, as described generally in the “Spray Drying Handbook”, 5^(th)ed., K. Masters, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., NY, N.Y. (1991), and in WO97/41833, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

To prepare an aminoglycoside solution for spray drying according to oneembodiment of the invention, an aminoglycoside is generally dissolved ina physiologically acceptable solvent such as water. The pH range ofsolutions to be spray-dried is generally maintained between about 3 and10, preferably 5 to 8, with near neutral pHs being preferred, since suchpHs may aid in maintaining the physiological compatibility of the powderafter dissolution of powder within the lung. The aqueous formulation mayoptionally contain additional water-miscible solvents, such as alcohols,acetone, and the like. Representative alcohols are lower alcohols suchas methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, and the like.Aminoglycoside solutions will generally contain aminoglycoside dissolvedat a concentration from 0.05% (weight/volume) to about 20%(weight/volume), usually from 0.4% to 5.0% (weight/volume).

The aminoglycoside-containing solutions are then spray dried in aconventional spray drier, such as those available from commercialsuppliers such as Niro A/S (Denmark), Buchi (Switzerland) and the like,resulting in a stable, aminoglycoside dry powder. Optimal conditions forspray drying the aminoglycoside solutions will vary depending upon theformulation components, and are generally determined experimentally. Thegas used to spray dry the material is typically air, although inertgases such as nitrogen or argon are also suitable. Moreover, thetemperature of both the inlet and outlet of the gas used to dry thesprayed material is such that it does not cause deactivation ofaminoglycoside in the sprayed material. Such temperatures are typicallydetermined experimentally, although generally, the inlet temperaturewill range from about 50° C. to about 200° C. while the outlettemperature will range from about 30° C. to about 150° C.

Alternatively, aminoglycoside dry powders may be prepared bylyophilization, vacuum drying, spray freeze drying, super critical fluidprocessing, or other forms of evaporative drying or by blending,grinding or jet milling formulation components in dry powder form. Insome instances, it may be desirable to provide the aminoglycoside drypowder formulation in a form that possesses improved handling/processingcharacteristics, e.g., reduced static, better flowability, low caking,and the like, by preparing compositions composed of fine particleaggregates, that is, aggregates or agglomerates of the above-describedaminoglycoside dry powder particles, where the aggregates are readilybroken back down to the fine powder components for pulmonary delivery,as described, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,007, incorporated herein byreference. Alternatively, the aminoglycoside powders may be prepared byagglomerating the powder components, sieving the materials to obtain theagglomerates, spheronizing to provide a more spherical agglomerate, andsizing to obtain a uniformly-sized product, as described, e.g., in WO95/09616, incorporated herein by reference. The aminoglycoside drypowders are preferably maintained under dry (i.e., relatively lowhumidity) conditions during manufacture, processing, and storage.

According to a preferred embodiment, the aminoglycoside powders are madeaccording to the emulsification/spray drying process disclosed in WO99/16419 and WO 01/85136 cited above. Formulations according to suchpreferred embodiments are engineered to comprise dry powder particulatescomprising at least 75% w/w, preferably at least 85% w/w tobramycin,2-25% w/w of a phospholipid, preferably 8-18% w/w, and 0-5% w/w of ametal ion such as calcium chloride. The particulates comprise ageometric diameter of less than 5 microns, an MMAD of less than 5microns, preferably 1-4 microns, and a bulk density of greater than 0.08g/cm³, preferably greater than 0.12 g/cm³.

Aminoglycoside Dry Powder Characteristics

It has been found that certain physical characteristics of theaminoglycoside dry powders, to be described more fully below, areimportant in maximizing the efficiency of aerosolized delivery of suchpowders to the lung.

The aminoglycoside dry powders are composed of particles effective topenetrate into the lungs, that is, having a geometric diameter of lessthan about 10 μm, preferably less than 7.5 μm, and most preferably lessthan 5 μm, and usually being in the range of 0.1 μm to 5 μm in diameter.Preferred powders are composed of particles having a geometric diameterfrom about 0.5 to 4.0 μm.

The aminoglycoside powders of the invention are further characterized byan aerosol particle size distribution less than about 10 μm mass medianaerodynamic diameter (MMAD), and preferably less than 5.0 μm. The massmedian aerodynamic diameters of the powders will characteristicallyrange from about 0.5-10 μm, preferably from about 0.5-5.0 μm MMAD, morepreferably from about 1.0-4.0 μm MMAD. To further illustrate the abilityto prepare aminoglycoside powders having an aerosol particle sizedistribution within a range suitable for pulmonary administration,exemplary aminoglycoside dry powders are composed of particles having anaerosol particle size distribution less than about 5 μm MMAD, and morespecifically, characterized by MMAD values less than 4.0 μm.

The aminoglycoside dry powders generally have a moisture content belowabout 15% by weight, usually below about 11% by weight, and preferablybelow about 8% by weight. The moisture content of representativeaminoglycoside dry powders prepared as described herein is provided inthe Examples.

The emitted dose (ED) of these powders is greater than 50%. Morepreferably, the ED of the aminoglycoside powders of the invention isgreater than 70%, and is often greater than 80%. In looking at theExamples, it can be seen that applicants have successfully prepared alarge number of representative aminoglycoside dry powders with ED valuesgreater than or equal to 80%.

Pulmonary Administration

The aminoglycoside dry powder formulations described herein may bedelivered using any suitable dry powder inhaler (DPI), i.e., an inhalerdevice that utilizes the patient's inhaled breath as a vehicle totransport the dry powder drug to the lungs. Preferred dry powderinhalation devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,458,135; 5,740,794;5,775,320; and 5,785,049, and in copending U.S. application Ser. No.09/004,558 filed Jan. 8, 1998, Ser. No. 09/312,434 filed Jun. 4, 1999,60/136,518 filed May 28, 1999, and 60/141,793 filed Jun. 30, 1999,listed above. When administered using a device of this type, thepowdered medicament is contained in a receptacle having a puncturablelid or other access surface, preferably a blister package or cartridge,where the receptacle may contain a single dosage unit or multiple dosageunits. Convenient methods for filling large numbers of cavities withmetered doses of dry powder medicament are described in U.S. Pat. No.5,826,633, incorporated herein by reference.

Also suitable for delivering the aminoglycoside powders described hereinare dry powder inhalers of the type described, for example, in U.S. Pat.Nos. 3,906,950 and 4,013,075, 4,069,819, and 4,995,385, incorporatedherein by reference, wherein a premeasured dose of aminoglycoside drypowder for delivery to a subject is contained within a capsule such as ahard gelatin capsule or HPMC capsule. HPMC capsules are preferred,preferably size #2 capsules containing up to 50 mg powder, preferably20-40 mg. It is to be understood that other sized capsules, such as 00,0, No.1, or No. 3 sized capsules are also suitable for use with thepresent invention and their suitability depends, among other factors,upon the inhalation device used to administer the powders.

Other dry powder dispersion devices for pulmonarily administeringaminoglycoside dry powders include those described, for example, in EP129985; EP 472598; EP 467172; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,385, incorporatedherein in their entirety by reference. Also suitable for delivering theaminoglycoside dry powders of the invention are inhalation devices suchas the Astra-Draco “TURBUHALER”. This type of device is described indetail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,668,218; 4,667,668; and 4,805,811, all ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

Also suitable are devices which employ the use of a piston to provideair for either entraining powdered medicament, lifting medicament from acarrier screen by passing air through the screen, or mixing air withpowder medicament in a mixing chamber with subsequent introduction ofthe powder to the patient through the mouthpiece of the device, such asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,572, incorporated herein by reference.

Prior to use, the aminoglycoside dry powders are generally stored in areceptacle under ambient conditions, and preferably are stored attemperatures at or below about 30° C., and relative humidities (RH)ranging from about 30 to 60%. More preferred relative humidityconditions, e.g., less than about 30%, may be achieved by theincorporation of a dessicating agent in the secondary packaging of thedosage form.

The following examples are offered by way of illustration, not by way oflimitation. The following materials were used in the Examples (thegrades and manufacturers are representative of many that are suitable):

Gentamicin Sulfate (H&A (Canada) Industrial)

Netilmicin Sulfate (Scientific Instruments And Technology)

Tobramycin (Chiron, Berkeley, Calif.)

L-Leucine (Aldrich)

Hydrochloric Acid (J. T. Baker)

Sodium Hydroxide 0.1N Volumetric Solution (J. T. Baker)

Ethanol, 200 proof (USP/NF, Spectrum Chemical Mfg. Corp.)

Methanol (HPLC grade, EM Industries)

EXAMPLE 1

A. Formulation

Dry powder compositions containing gentamicin were prepared by mixinggentamicin sulfate and excipient(s) (if used) with a liquid medium toform a solution. The pH of the solution was adjusted as appropriate tofacilitate solubilization and/or stabilization of the components in thesolution. Quantitative formulations are identified in Table 1 below.

B. Spray Drying

The gentamicin solutions were spray dried on Buchi 190 Mini SprayDryers, with nozzles and cyclones that were designed to generate andcatch very fine particles. For formulations that utilized organicsolvents, a modified Buchi 190 Mini Spray Dryer was used that wassupplied with nitrogen as the gas source and equipped with an oxygensensor and other safety equipment to minimize the possibility ofexplosion. The solution feed rate was 5 ml/minute, solution wasmaintained at room temperature, inlet temperature range was 120-131° C.and was adjusted to obtain an outlet temperature of approximately 80°C., the drying gas flow rate was about 18 SCFM, and the atomizing airwas supplied at 0.5 to 1.5 SCFM, typically at a pressure of about 100PSI.

C. Characterization

Each powder was characterized in terms of moisture content, emitted dose(ED), and mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD). ED is a measure ofefficiency for the powder package/device combination. MMAD refers to ameasure of the particle size of the aerosolized powder.

Moisture content was determined by the Karl-Fischer Reagent titrimetricmethod or by thermogravimetric analysis as indicated in the followingtables.

Morphology was determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

To determine the ED, the spray dried powders were first filled intoblister packs. The test was performed by connecting a vacuum system tothe mouthpiece of an inhaler device of the type describe in U.S. Pat.No. 5,740,794 identified above. The vacuum system was set to be similarto a human inhalation with regard to volume and flow rate (1.2 literstotal at 30 liters/minute). A blister package containing 5 mg of theformulation to be evaluated was loaded into a device, which was held ina testing fixture. The device was pumped and fired, and the vacuum“inhalation” switched on. The aerosol cloud was drawn out of the devicechamber by the vacuum, and the powder was collected on a filter placedbetween the mouthpiece and the vacuum source. The weight of the powdercollected on the filter was determined. Emitted dose was calculated asthis weight, multiplied by one hundred, divided by the fill weight inthe blister. A higher number is a better result than a lower number.

MMAD was determined with an Andersen cascade impactor. In a cascadeimpactor the aerosolized powder (which was aerosolized using an inhalerdevice as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,794) enters the impactor viaan air stream, and encounters a series of stages that separate particlesby their aerodynamic diameter (the smallest particles pass farthest downthe impactor). The amount of powder collected on each stage wasdetermined gravimetrically, and the mass median aerodynamic diameter wasthen calculated.

Tables 1 show the quantitative composition of gentamicin formulations, adescription of the particle morphology, moisture content, MMAD, andemitted dose of the resultant gentamicin powders. TABLE 1 Gentamicin DryPowder Compositions Batch Particle Moisture MMAD Number QuantitativeComposition Morphology Content (μm) Emitted Dose 1326-31 Gentamicinsulfate 2076 mg Smooth spheres 4.1%¹ 3.0 37% (RSD³ = 6) DI water 200 mlsometimes with a Hydrochloric acid QS to pH = 5 large dimple or two1326-32 Gentamicin sulfate 2053 mg Slightly dimpled 1.1%¹ 2.4 40% (RSD =14) DI water 200 ml spheres Sodium hydroxide QS to pH = 10 1300-Gentamicin sulfate 2012 mg Smooth spheres 4.8%² 3.0 45% (RSD = 10) MG-11Ethanol 40 ml sometimes with a DI water 160 ml large dimple or two 1300-Gentamicin sulfate 2006 mg Highly dimpled 6.2%² 2.6 61% (RSD = 7) MG-12L-leucine 205 mg spheres DI water 220 ml 1300- Gentamicin sulfage 1500mg Raisin-like 4.3%² 2.4 80% (RSD = 6) MG-18 L-leucine 510 mg DI water200 ml¹Determined with Karl-Fischer reagent titrimetric method²Determined with thermogravimetric analysis³Relative Standard Deviation

EXAMPLE 2

Formulations containing netilmicin were prepared according to theprocedure set forth in Example 1. The netilmicin formulations were spraydried and characterized as set forth in Example 1. Results are set forthin Table 2 below. TABLE 2 Netilmicin Dry Powder Compositions BatchMoisture MMAD Number Quantitative Composition Particle MorphologyContent¹ (μm) Emitted Dose 1300-MG-9 Netilmicin Sulfate 1626 mgIrregular and jagged 4.2% 3.2 47% (RSD = 8) DI water  163 ml 1300-MG-Netilmicin Sulfate 1512 mg Smooth spheres 5.1% 2.9 39% (RSD = 7) 14Ethanol  30 ml often with a single or DI water  120 ml a few largedimples 1300-MG- Netilmicin Sulfate 1202 mg Raisin-like 4.1% 2.3 78%(RSD = 10) 15 L-leucine  393 mg DI water  120 ml 1300-MG- NetilmicinSulfate 1426 mg Dimpled Spheres 5.3% 2.6 75% (RSD = 6) 19 L-leucine  77mg DI water  150 ml¹Determined with thermogravimetric analysis

EXAMPLE 3

The procedures set forth in Example 1 were repeated for theaminoglycoside tobramycin. Results are represented in Table 3 below.TABLE 3 Tobramycin Dry Powder Compositions Batch Quantitative MoistureMMAD Number Composition Particle Morphology Content¹ (μm) Emitted Dose1504-HS-7 Tobramycin 2.04 g Not available 3.9% 2.3 32% (RSD = 8) DIwater  204 ml 1504-HS-9 Tobramycin 1.50 g Dimpled spheres 2.6% 2.3 72%(RSD = 5) L-Leucine 0.51 g DI water  200 ml 1504-HS- Tobramycin 1.50 gDimpled spheres 5.4% 2.4 73% (RSD = 5) 39 L-Leucine 0.51 g DI water  200ml¹Determined with thermogravimetric analysis

EXAMPLE 2

Powder Manufacture

Tobramycin sulfate formulations set forth in Table 4 below wasmanufactured according to the following procedure. SWFI was heated abovethe gel to liquid crystal temperature of disteroyl phosphatidylcholine(DSPC) (≈80° C.). DSPC and calcium chloride dihydrate were then added tothe heated water. The resulting lipid dispersion was mixed in anUltraTurrax T-50 (IKA Labortechnik) at 8,000 rpm for 5 min.Perfluorooctyl bromide (PFOB) was then added dropwise (15 ml min⁻¹) tothe lipid dispersion under mixing. After the addition was complete theresulting PFOB-in-water emulsion was mixed for an additional 10 min at10,000 rpm. Emulsification in the UltraTurrax produces droplets in themicron-size range. Tobramycin sulfate was then dissolved in thecontinuous phase of the emulsion and the resulting dispersion was usedas the feedstock for spray drying.

The feedstock was then spray dried using the equipment and conditionsset forth in Table 5 below. TABLE 4 Tobramycin Sulfate FormulationTobramycin Sulfate 90.04% w/w DSPC 9.56% w/w CaCl₂ 0.40% w/w PFOB, φ0.198 v/v PFOB/Total Solids 6.37% w/w Feed Concentration 5.92% w/v

TABLE 5 Spray drying Equipment and Conditions Lot # 2715-08 2792-112792-12 Spray Dryer: Buchi NIRO NIRO Drying Gas CDA Room Air Room AirGauge Conditions: Total Air Flow (SCFM) 12 70 70 Inlet Temperature (°C.) 85 140 112 Outlet Temperature (° C.) 62 76 54 Pump Rate (mL/min) 2.135 35 Atomizer Pressure (psi) 11 100 100 Atomizer Flow Rate (SCFM) 2.812 12

Hand-Filling: The powder was hand filled into #2 HPMC capsules foraerosol testing. Capsules were allowed to equilibrate at <5% RHovernight. Powders were placed into a capsule filling station withrelative humidity of 10 to 15% and allowed to equilibrate for 10 minutesprior to handling. Fill weights ranging from 20 mg to 40 mg wereexplored, representing fill volumes of approximately ½ to

Aerosol testing was performed using a Turbospin® (PH&T, Italy) capsulebased passive delivery device. The filled capsules were tested the dayof filling.

Particle Size Analysis by Laser Diffraction: The geometric particle sizeanalysis of the powders were determined using a Sympatec laserdiffraction analyzer (HELOS H1006, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany)equipped with a RODOS type T4.1 vibrating trough. Approximately 2 mg ofbulk powder was emptied onto the RODOS vibrating trough, which wassubsequently atomized through a laser beam using 1 bar of air pressure,53 mbar of vacuum, 70% feed rate, 1.30 mm funnel gap with the R2 lenssetting. Data was collected over an interval of 0.4 s, with a 175 μmfocal length, triggered at 0.1% obscuration. Particle size distributionswere determined using the Fraünhofer model.

Residual Moisture: The residual moisture in the bulk powder wasdetermined by Karl Fisher titrimetry.

The Emitted Dose Testing: This measurement was performed using themedium resistance Turbospin device operated at its optimal sampling flowrate of 60 L·min⁻¹. A total of 10 measurements was determined for eachfill mass explored. Results are depicted in FIG. 2, which shows emitteddose results for the same formulation at fill masses as high as 40 mg.No significant decreases in ED or increases in RSD are noted. Increasingthe powder load by 25% to 35% (with equivalent aerosol performance)results in a capsule savings of about 2 capsules, dropping the capsuleneeds from 6 to 4.

Aerodynamic Particle Size Distribution: Aerodynamic particle sizedistributions were determined gravimetrically on an Andersen cascadeimpactor (ACI). Particle size distributions were measured at a flowrates 56.6 L·min⁻¹ (i.e., forceful inhalation effort) using theTurbospin DPI device. Results are depicted in FIG. 3, which shows a plotof the aerosol particle size distribution as a function of a capsulefill mass. It is clear that a significant increase in capsule fill massis achievable without significant variations in the aerodynamic particlesize distribution.

1. A dispersible powder composition comprising aminoglycoside fordelivery to the lungs by inhalation, the composition being effective toprovide a therapeutically effective therapy via administration of lessthan 6 respirable unit doses, wherein each respirable unit dosecomprises a volume of 0.30 to 0.95 mL.
 2. A composition according toclaim 1 comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
 3. Acomposition according to claim 2 wherein the pharmaceutically acceptableexcipient comprises a phospholipid.
 4. A composition according to claim1 wherein the respirable unit dose is provided in a capsule, the capsulecomprising hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.
 5. A composition according toclaim 1 comprising a bulk density of between 0.08 and 0.20 g/cm³.
 6. Acomposition according to claim 1 wherein each respirable unit dosecomprises a fill mass of between 25 and 100 mg.
 7. A compositionaccording to claim 1 such that a respirable unit dose aerosolized by aninhalation device provides an emitted dose which is greater than 70%. 8.A composition according to claim 1 having a pH of between 7 and
 10. 9. Acomposition according to claim 1 wherein each respirable unit dosecomprises a volume equivalent to a size #00 capsule or smaller capsulesize.
 10. A composition according to claim 1 wherein each respirableunit dose comprises a volume equivalent to a size #2 capsule or smallercapsule size.
 11. A composition according to claim 1 wherein theaminoglycoside comprises tobramycin or salt thereof.
 12. A compositionaccording to claim 1 comprising calcium.
 13. A composition according toclaim 1 comprising spray dried particles.
 14. A composition according toclaim 1 wherein each respirable unit dose comprises 10-60 mg ofaminoglycoside or salt thereof.
 15. A composition according to claim 1wherein the aminoglycoside comprises one or more of gentamicin,netilmicin, paramecin, tobramycin, amikacin, kanamycin, neomycin,azithromycin, and streptomycin.
 16. A composition according to claim 1having a residual moisture content of less than 10% by weight.
 17. Acomposition according to claim 1 wherein the composition providestherapeutically effective therapy via administration of less than 5respirable unit doses comprising the composition.
 18. A methodcomprising administering by inhalation less than 6 respirable unit dosesof the composition according of claim 1 to provide at least 27.6 mg ofaminoglycoside to the lungs.
 19. A method for treating cystic fibrosis,the method comprising administering a pharmacologically effective amountof aminoglycoside comprising tobramycin to the lungs from a respirableunit dose according to claim
 1. 20. A method for administeringaminoglycoside to reduce the potential for development of bacteria inthe lungs, the method comprising administering a pharmacologicallyeffective amount of aminoglycoside to the lungs from a respirable unitdose according to claim
 1. 21. A composition for the delivery of apharmacologically effective amount of aminoglycoside to the lungs byaerosol inhalation, the composition including particles comprisingphospholipid, aminoglycoside or salt thereof, a geometric diameter ofless than 10 microns, a mass median aerodynamic diameter of less thanabout 5 microns, and a bulk density of greater than 0.08 g/cm³, andwherein the composition comprises a volume of 5.7 mL or less containing10-60 mg of aminoglycoside or salt thereof.
 22. A capsule comprising acomposition for delivery of aminoglycoside to the lungs by inhalation,the composition including particles comprising phospholipid andaminoglycoside, the aminoglycoside comprising tobramycin, a geometricdiameter less than 10 microns, a mass median aerodynamic diameter lessthan about 5 microns, and a bulk density of greater than 0.08 g/cm³,wherein the capsule comprises a volume that is equivalent to, or lessthan, a capsule volume corresponding to a size #2 capsule, and whereinthe capsule contains aminoglycoside or salt thereof, in an amount of10-60 mg.
 23. A respirable unit dose comprising a composition fordelivery of aminoglycoside to the lungs by inhalation, the compositionincluding particles comprising phospholipid, calcium, aminoglycoside orsalt thereof, a geometric diameter of less than 10 microns, a massmedian aerodynamic diameter of less than about 5 microns, and a bulkdensity of greater than 0.08 g/cm³, wherein the respirable unit dosecomprises a volume of 0.68 ml or less, and wherein the unit dosecontains aminoglycoside or salt thereof in an amount of 10-60 mg.
 24. Acomposition comprising particles for delivery of a pharmacologicallyeffective amount of aminoglycoside to the lungs by inhalation from aninhaler device, the particles comprising a matrix of phospholipid,aminoglycoside or a salt thereof in a potency of 60% or higher, a bulkdensity of greater than 0.08 g/cm³, and having a pH of 7 or higher. 25.A composition according to claim 24 wherein the pH is between 7 and 10.26. A composition according to claim 24 characterized by the area shownin FIG. 1, between the curve labeled pH 7.5 and the curve labeled pH 9.27. A pulmonary delivery method comprising administering apharmacologically effective amount of tobramycin to the lungs byproviding a composition comprising particles dispersed from less than 6capsules by an inhalation device, the particles comprising a matrix ofphospholipid, tobramycin or a salt thereof in a potency of greater thanabout 60%, a bulk density of greater than 0.08 g/cm³, and having a pH of7 or higher.
 28. A method for treating a pulmonary infection, the methodcomprising administering a pharmacologically effective amount of activeagent to the lungs via administration of less than 6 respirable unitdoses, wherein each respirable unit dose comprises a volume of 0.30 to0.95 mL.
 29. A method according to claim 28 wherein the active agentcomprises an antibiotic.
 30. A method according to claim 28 wherein theactive agent comprises an aminoglycoside.
 31. A method according toclaim 28 wherein the aminoglycoside comprises tobramycin.
 32. A methodaccording to claim 28 comprising administering a pharmacologicallyeffective amount of active agent to the lungs for treating cysticfibrosis.
 33. A method according to claim 28 comprising administering apharmacologically effective amount of active agent to the lungs fortreating non-CF bronchiectasis.
 34. A respirable unit dose comprising acomposition for delivery of an active agent to the lungs by inhalation,the composition including particles comprising phospholipid, activeagent, a geometric diameter of less than 10 microns, a mass medianaerodynamic diameter of less than about 5 microns, and a bulk density ofgreater than 0.08 g/cm³, wherein the respirable unit dose containsactive agent in an amount of 10-60 mg.
 35. A respirable unit doseaccording to claim 34 comprising a volume of 0.68 ml or less.
 36. Arespirable unit dose according to claim 34 wherein the active agentcomprises an antibiotic.
 37. A respirable unit dose according to claim34 wherein the active agent comprises an aminoglycoside.